Method of making molds.



D.-M. PAHNESTOGK. METHOD 0? MAKING MOLDS.

AVPPLIGATION IILED FEB.25, 1911.-

Patented May 21, 1912.

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D. M. FA'HNESTOCK.

METHOD OF MAKING MOLDS.

APPLICATION FILED 223.25, 1911.

Patented May 21, 1912.

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WITNESSES.- 7 INVNTR- V D. M. PAHNESTOGK.

' METHOD OF MAKING MOLDS.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 25, 1911.

Patented May 21, 1912.

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D. M. FAHNESTOGK.

METHQD OF MAKING MOLDS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25,- 1911.

Patented May-21', 1912.

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' greatly compact the same beneath the pat tern and also around the pattern to some,

DAVID M. FAHNESTOCK, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD or MAKING MOLDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 25, 1911.

Patented May 21, 1912.

Serial No. 610,858.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAvIn M. FAHNE- stock, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have in .vented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of Making Molds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to the art of molding. Its object is to provide an improved practice in this art which will insure a perfeet east, whether of steel or iron or other metal, and by which a larger number of molds can be produced at less expense and -within less foundry space than has been heretofore attainable.

In the practice of my invention, I first insert the sand or like molding material in a suitable flask or similar receptacle and then insert the pattern therein. By forcing the pattern into the molding material I thus extent, thereby aiding in the formation of a perfect mold. I then preferably further compact the molding material about the pattern to produce a hard and firm mold by applying pressure of an even sustained nature to the exposed surface of the molding material about the pattern in the flask. The effect of this mode of pressing the mold is superior to previous operations in which the materialis compacted by hand ramming, or by the use of a pressing or squeezing ma chine by which the pattern is pressed into the molding material, rather than the molding material about the pattern. In the pressing operation of my invention I employ preferably a presser plate conforming as closely as possible to the contour of the mold and reciprocally moved by a suitable apparatus along the pattern. The pressure is thus applied evenly on the exposed surface of the molding material, which is compacted around the pattern and against all of its sides, and a superior mold is thereby produced.

My invention also includes the insert-ion of the molding material into a flask or series of flasks while in motion. The preferred practice of this operation consists in con veying a multiplicity of flasks, in series, and at regular intervals, and a given quantity of molding material in each moving flask, the molding material being poured proper.

into theflask progressively from its forward to its rear or receding end, so that it is evenly distributed at the desired level WlflllIl the flask. In order to successfully pract-isethis operation of filling a flask, I have devised an improved apparatus described below, but forming in itself part of the subject matter of another application, Serial No. 610,857, filed by me, in which it is claimed.

My invention also contemplates the prac tice or method of making molds in which the flasks are carried in a continual defined course, preferably by an endless conveyer, the molding material inserted in each flask while in transit, and the mold then formed in the molding material, the movement of each flask being stopped at a defined point in its further course after the insertion of the molding material only long enough to permit the insertion and withdrawal ofthe pattern and preferably the further pressing of-the molding material about the pattern, as above set forth.

In order to carry out my invention, I have devised an apparatus which is provided with means for carrying the flasks at regu- .which the endless conveyer carrying the flasks is interrupted in its motion and the pattern inserted accurately in the molding material, the pressing plate then depressed about the pattern, and both the pattern and pressing plate subsequently withdrawn and the motion of the flasks resumed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating one form ofthis apparatus, Figure 1 is a vertical elevation partly in longitudinal section of a complete plant or apparatus of the character described. Fig. 2 is a. vertical transverse elevation partly in section through the mold forming apparatus Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on the line 33 Fig. 2. Figs is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on the line 1-4 Fig. 2. Figs. 5'

is a like view of a pattern and its cross head. Fig. 9 is a detail fragmental view illustrating a movable portion of the pattern and carrying means therefor preferably employed, and Fig. 10 is a horizontal section through the mold forming apparatus on the line 1010 Fig. 2.

\Vhile the apparatus herein illustrated is preferably employed in the practice of my improved method of making molds and some features or parts of it constitute the only means at present known to me for performing some of the steps as hereinafter claimed, I do not limit my present invention to this or any other form of apparatus, the apparatus described being claimed in another application, Serial No. 610,857, of even date herewith.

In the practice of my invention, I employ the endless conveyer 1 to carry the flasks 2, the conveyer 1 being driven from any suitable source of power, indicated merely by the belt wheel 8. The conveyer 1 is made up of mutually pivoted links 4, 4, carrying the transverse pallets or supports 5, 5, etc., as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the links 4, 4, etc., intermeshing with the sprocket wheels 7, 7 arranged at opposite ends of the plant or apparatus. The pivotally connect-ed pallets 5 are preferably supported by the trackway 11 supported by the cross-beams 11 fastened to the side-sills 115 of the apparatus. The conveyer 1 is provided with the adjustable cleats or lugs 8 which are fastened to the pallets 5 by suitable means, such as the bolts 9. The cleats 8 can thus be changed-in position, to accommodate flasks of varying sizes, although in general they will be maintained in fixed position at regular intervals apart in conformity with the timing of the gear driving system of the apparatus. The flasks 2 are preferably placed on the conveyer by first laying one of them upon the table 10 consisting of supports arranged on opposite sides of the conveyer 1 and adapted to support the flask a slight distance above the conveyer until. it is engaged by one of the cleats 8 and removed thereby from the table. The flask 2 is then carried in its course underneath and past the sand pouring apparatus 12. This apparatus 12 comprises the hopper 13 into which the molding material 25, such as sand, can be regularly poured from a suitable nozzle or can be dumped at intervals as desired; and the rotary flask filler 14. The flask filler 14 has preferably the drum 14 and the segmental pouring receptacles 15, 15 which are adapted to hold a determined proper amount of molding material 25 to completely fill one of the flasks 2. The receptacles 15 are carried by a spider 16 rotated by a suitable shaft 16 driven through the gear wheels 17, 18 and sprocket wheel 19 on the shaft 20 of the gear wheel 18, by means of a sprocket chain 21 and sprocket wheel 22 (Fig. 2) actuated from the power source in a manner specifically described below. Any desired number of such receptacle sections 15 may be employed, two being illustrated, and separated by the blank sections 116 having the coverwalls 116. The rate of motion of the shaft 16 carrying the flask filling receptacles 15 is, however, timed, through the gearing just described or in any desired manner, so that the front wall 15 of any given filler receptacle 15 will commence to pour sand through the pouring opening 24 just as the forward wall 2 of any given flask 2 is passing beneath the rear wall 24 of the opening 24. The receptacle 15 will thus be in completely opening position when a given flask 2 is beneath the entire opening 24 of the drum 14, as illustrated in Fig. 1. As the flask recedes from or passes beyond the opening 24, the rear wall 15 of a section 15 also passes with the flask, so that no molding material is wasted or spilled behind the receding or rear wall 2 of the flask. I thus distribute the desired definite quantity of molding material in the moving flask at the desired level. As, in the further step of my method, the pattern is inserted in the molding material, and the material pressed around the pattern the flask is preferably substantially filled with the molding material, so as to admit of a high degree of compression thereof around the pattern. This is especially desirable in making molds for steel casting, and in fact I employ a deeper flask or receptacle than has heretofore been generally used. The flasks successively passing forward along their course from the position 2 beneath the sand insert-ing apparatus are each stopped in the position 2 beneath the pattern inserting and mold pressing apparatus 26. As stated above, in order to provide for the continuous even rotation of the sand pouring sections 15 while the flasks are in process of actual forward motion on the conveyer 1, I prefer to drive the shafts 16 through the gearing illustrated from the sprocket wheel 22 mounted on the same countershaft 27 as that which drives, through the bevel gears 28, 29, rotating shaft 30 and bevel gears 31, 32, and shaft 33, the sprocket wheels 7 which actuate the endless conveyer 1. It is thus apparent that I provide for revolving the pouring receptacles 15 continuously while the endless conveyer is in motion. The endless conveyer 1 is stopped, as well as the flask filling apparatus 14, only long enough to permit of the insertion of the desired pattern in the flask by the use of any preferred means.

In the apparatus illustrated the countershaft 27 is actuated through the gear wheel 34 by the conveyer driving gear wheel 35 having the proper determined amount of gear teeth 36 and the delay face 37, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5. The driving gear wheel is mounted on the driving shaft 36 journaled in the frame 39 of the mold forming machine 26, and connected, as by the gear wheel 40 having continuous gear teeth 40', meshing with the gear wheel 41 carried on the shaft 42 to the power wheel 3, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The delay face 37 of the gear wheel 35 thus provides for the interruption ofthe continual motion of both the conveyer 1 and the molding material pouring device 14 while the pattern inserting machine or apparatus 26 is set in action, each flask being stopped in exact registering position beneath the said apparatus by means described below. Mounted on the same driving shaft 36 as the gear wheel 35 is the gear wheel 42 having also a delay face 43 and a set of spur gears 44 arranged to mesh with the gear wheel 45 carried 011 the countershaft 46. The shaft 46 drives, through the bevel gears 47, 48, vertical shaft 49 and bevel gears 50, 51, the horizontal shaft 52 carrying the gear wheel 53. While the delay face 37 of the gear wheel 35 is passing the gear wheel 34, the gear teeth 44 of the gear wheel 42 are in mesh with and driving the gear teeth of the gear wheel '45 and thereby also the gear wheel 53, which actuates and controls the pattern and pressing means. The relative number of gear teeth 44 on the wheel 42 and the length of its delay face 43 are necessarily so adjusted together-.with the connecting gearing, that the entire pattern-inserting and mold-pressing operation, is completed by the time that .the gear wheel 42 has rotated sufliciently to bring the delay face 43 again opposite to the adjacent teeth of the gear wheel 45, the delay face 37 of the gear wheel 35 having then passed completely by the gear wheel 34, and the teeth 36 being again intermeshed with the gear wheel 34 to resume the driving of the shaft 27, and therefore both of the conveyer 1 and of the flask filling device 12. a

The gear wheel or pinion 53 which di-.

rectly actuates the pattern carrying and mold pressing apparatus proper, has the gear teeth 54 arranged to mesh'with the spur-gears of the gear wheels 56 and 57, re-

spectively, and the delay face 55 on the.

wheel 53 arranged to pass by said gear wheels idly when one of the gear teeth 54 is in mesh with the spur gearing of the thread of said wheels. The gear wheel 56 is keyed or otherwise fastened to the shaft 58,

on which are mounted the two sets of eccentrics 59 and 60. The gear wheel 57 is likewise fastened to the shaft 61 on which are mounted the eccentrics 62. The straps 59' of the eccentrics are attached to the connecting rods 63 each preferably provided with suitable turn-buckles 63 and with bifurcated portions 63 which straddle the shaft 61 as illustrated in Fig. 4. Each connecting rod 63 is pivotally joined by a wrist pin 64 to one of the levers 65 each pivoted at 66 to one of the opposite upright members 38 of the machine frame 39, as illustratedin Figs. 2 and 4. Each lever 65 pivotally carries a vertically mounted fastening pin 67 which plays reciprocally within one of the slotted guides 68 attached to diagonally opposite members 37, 37 of the machine frame. The flasks 2 are each provided with ears 70 arranged near diagonally opposite corners of the flasks and having slots 7Ithrough which the pin 67 is forced by the downward throw of the eccentrics 59. By this means each flask 2 is arrested in exact registering position beneath the suspended pattern illustrated at 72 and suspended presser plate 73, as the gear teeth 44 .5 of the gear wheel 42 are arranged to actuate the gear wheel 45 and the gear pinion 53 driven thereby preferably just before the delay face 37 of the drivinggear' 35 has arrived opposite the gear wheel 34, so that'go as compared to the eccentrics 59, so that their connecting rods 74 will not be lowered until the flask 2 is pinned in proper position by the registering pin 57. The rods 74, each of which is preferably provided with a turnbuckle 74 for the purpose of adjustment, carry at their lower ends the connecting wrist pin 75. The wrist pin 75 carries the cross head frame 76 having the pattern plate 77 to which is removably attached, as by the set screws 77" (Fig. 2), the pattern 72 employed. The rods 74 therefore force the pattern 72 into the molding material 25, compacting the material below the pattern as it is forced downwardly, and thereby forming the desired firm and hard mold surface below the pat-tern.

in order to produce a perfect mold, I preferably form the pattern 72 into sections, two such sections 72, 72 being illustrated.- The projecting portion 72 of the simple pattern shown is reciprocably' mov able through the aperture 78, in the pattern plate 77 and fits against the mating face 72 of the main portion 72 of the pattern. The projecting portion 72 is attached, by the set screws 79, to the secondary-pattern plate 79 carried by the secondary cross head 80 in which is journaled the wrist pin, as illustrated in Figs. 2, 8 and 9. The wrist pin 75 is reciprocally movable within the slot 81 of the cross head 76, and the cross head is provided with the tongues 82 which are reciprocally movable within the guides 83 arranged in pairs within the opposite side portions of the cross head frame 76. The cross head frame 76 is likewise provided with interiorly positioned tongues 84 which are reciprocally movable within the pairs of guides 85 arranged vertically on the inside of the presser plate carrying cross head 87 carrying the presser plate 73, as will be described more fully below.

During the downward travel of the rods 74: the cross head frame 76 is suspended from the wrist pin which bears against the top portion of the slots 81, so that the secondary mold carrying cross head 80 and projecting portion 72 of the pattern are held in upwardly retracted position until the main portion 72 of the pattern has entered the molding material 26' within the flask 2. As the motion of the main portion 72 of the pattern is resisted by the molding material 25 the wrist pin 75 passes to the bottom'of the slots 81, carrying with it the secondary cross head 80 and secondary portion 72 of the pattern. This portion 72 is thereby forced intothe molding material until the secondary pattern plate 79 strikes the main pattern plate 77 or until the wrist pin 75 strikes the lower portions of the slots 81, thereby completing the mold within the molding material 25. As soon as the above indicated movement is finished, the gear teeth 5a of the wheels 53 leave the intermeshing teeth of the gear wheel 56. A cam 93 is carried on the shaft 36, which had previously engaged by its projecting portion 93 the lever 94, which raises by the link 95 the lever 96 provided with the dog 97 adapted to engage the slot 98 on the hub 99 of the wheel 55, releases the lever 94 and allows the dog 97 to rengage the slot 98 under the influence of the spring 100 and fix the gear wheel 56 in stationary position. The complete pattern 72, 72 is therefore held in projected position within the molding material 33. A slight further rotation of the gear pinion 53 brings the projecting portion 101 of the cam 101 carried on the shaft 152 into engagement with the arm 103 of the lever 10 1, pivoted at 105 to the member 37 of the frame and having a finger 106 engaging with the lever 107 pivoted at 108 to the opposite member 37 of the frame and provided with the dog 109 in engagement with the slot 110 in the hub 111 of the gear wheel 57. The dog 109 is thereby retracted from engagement with the slot 110 against the tension of the spring 112, and as the gear teeth 54; come into mesh with the teeth of the gear 57 the shaft 61 is rotated. The rods 88 connected to the strap 62 of the eccentric 62 are thereby lowered carrying with them the cross head frame 87 to which they are pivotally connected by the wrist pins 89. Each rod 88 is also preferably provided with the turn-buckle 88 for the purpose of adjusting the travel of the presser plate 73 carried by the cross head 87 into the molding material 33. The said presser plate 73 has the slot 89 conforming to the contour of the pattern 72, 72. The presser plate 73 is preferably formed of metal and removably supported upon the cross head frame 87, as by the set screws 73 so that whenever the pattern, as 72, employed is removed from the cross head 76 and a new one substituted, the presser plate 73 may be changed so as to conform in contour as closely as possible to the contour in horizontal section of the new pattern used. The presser plate 73 is forced by the eccentrics 62 and rods 88 against the exposed upper surface 25 to effectively compactthe same about the pattern. Thus in the preferred practice of my invention, I not only insert a .pattern within each of the flasks in their continued course, but also effectively press the molding material about the pattern before the motion of the flask is resumed. This step is distinctly different from the operation of pressing or squeezing machines, in which the molding material is pressed on top of as well as around the mold, as by my operation a better mold is obtained; and the complete mold for casting will in general be formed in only two parts, so that no greater labor or expense is required. I also preferably insert the pattern in sections where it includes materially projecting portions, so as to produce a perfect mold at its inward corners and ledges, as will be well understood by those skilled in the art.

Returning to the particular apparatus employed, I arrange the gear teeth 54L on the gear wheel 53 so that they will reengage the gear wheel 56 as soon as the downward pressing of the molding material by the plate 73 is completed, the cam 101 having released the lever 10% so that the dog 109 holds the gear wheel 57 in fixed, and therefore the cross head 87 and pressing plate 73 in downwardly extended position. The reengagement of the revolving teeth 54 with the gear wheel 56 has the efiect of rotating the shaft 58 and withdrawing both the fastening pin 67 and the pattern 72 from the flask 2 by the upward throw of the eccentrics 59 and 60 respectively. In the form of apparatus illustrated the connecting rod 74 first raises the wrist pin 75 within the slots 81 of the cross head frame 76 before the abutting of said wrist pin 75 against the upper portion of said slots 81 results in the raising of the cross head frame 76. The projecting portion 72 of the pattern is thereby first retracted and then the entire pattern '7 2, 7 2 in the further upward motion of the rods 74. This upward motion having been finished, the delay face 55 of the pinion 53 again arrives at the gear teeth of the wheel 56 and the gearing 54 again intermeshes with the gear Wheel 57 so as to rotate the shaft 6l'and thereby withdraw upwardly the rods 88 through the action of the eccentric 62. The presser plate 73 is thereby carried upwardly by the cross head 87 until the upward motion of the rods 88 is arrested by the delay face 55 of the pinion 53 and the rengagement of the dog 109 with the slot 110 of the gear wheel 57.

The above described mold forming operations are all performed in this apparatus while the gear teeth 44 on the large gear wheel 42 are rotating the small gear wheel 45'. The last of the spur gears 44 of determined number having passed the gear wheel 45, the delay face 43 then rotates idly past the said Wheel 45 while the spur gears 36, having reengaged the gear wheel 34, rotate the shaft 27 and thereby remove the flask in which the mold has just been formed from the position 2* and carry the succeeding flask past theposition 2 to the position 2 it being filled in its course through the position 2 by the required quantity of molding material 25, as above described.

It is apparent that in the practice of my improved method I not only carry a multiplicity of flasks in a well defined course,

filling them with a determined quantity of molding material while in transit, and stopping their motion only long enough to allow for forming the mold by the pattern inserting and sand pressing operations, but that I also afford a sufiicient interval by the provision of the improved apparatus described to enable the operator to place a flask upon the co-nveyer and thereby maintain the continuous succession of moving flasks, the table 10 described being conveniently employed, and a flask carried therefrom by the conveyer 1 as the flask in which the complete mold has been formed is re-. moved by the conveyer from the pattern inserting machine or apparatus. The flasks containing the complete molds delivered by the conveyer can be received upon any suitable holding or conveying table or removed by hand as desired.

It will be understood that the term flask as used above and in the appended claims is intended to include any receptacle used to contain the molding material.

What I claim is:

1. The improvement in theart of making molds consisting in carrying a flask in a continuous course, and filling said flask while in motion by pouring. a determined quantity of molding material into said flask from an outside source, and then forcing a pattern into the flask to form the mold.

2. The improvement in the art of making molds consisting in conveying a flask in a continuous course, inserting molding material in said flask Whilein motion, then interrupting the motion of the flask and forcing a pattern therein and forming a mold, and then resuming the motion of the flask, substantially as described.

3. The improvement in the art of making molds consisting in carrying a series of flasks in a defined course in one direction, inserting a determined quantity of molding material in each of said flasks while in motion, interrupting the motion of each flask, and forming a mold in said molding material, and then'resuming the motion of the flasks, substantially as described.

4. The improvement in the art of making molds consisting in conveying a flask in .lng material about the pattern, and then resuming the motion of the flask containing the finished mold.

5. The improvement in the art of making molds consisting in conveying a multiplicity of flasks in continual course at regular intervals in their course, inserting molding material into each of the flasks while in motion, arresting the motion of the flasks and forming a mold in each flask successively, and then resuming the motion of the flasks to deliver the completed molds and resume the filling of the flasks in .order.

6. The improvement in the art of making molds consisting in conveying a multiplicity of flasks in continual course at regular intervals, successively inserting a determined quantity of molding material in each flask while in motion, interrupting the motion of the flasks and forming a mold by inserting and withdrawing a pattern and pressing the molding material about the same in a flask while in fixed position, and then resuming the motion of the flasks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I the said DAVID M. FAHNESTOCK, have hereunto set my hand.

.DAVID M. 'FAHNESTOCK. Witnesses:

ALVAR G. PURDY, ROBERT C. TOTTEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

